Musk and Altman’s AI Rivalry Erupts Again in Antitrust and Algorithm Clash

Elon Musk and Sam Altman have reignited their long-standing public feud, trading sharp accusations on X (formerly Twitter) in a new round of digital sparring. The conflict, rooted in their fractured partnership at OpenAI, escalated late Monday when Musk claimed Apple was unfairly favoring OpenAI’s ChatGPT in App Store rankings, calling it an antitrust violation. He warned that xAI, his own AI company, would take legal action. Altman fired back by turning the antitrust claim on its head, pointing to Musk’s control over X and citing a 2023 Platformer report that detailed how Musk allegedly manipulated the platform’s algorithm to boost his own content. “This is a remarkable claim given what I have heard alleged that Elon does to manipulate X to benefit himself and his own companies and harm his competitors and people he doesn’t like,” Altman wrote, linking to the article and suggesting that a deeper investigation—possibly through counter-discovery—was needed. The exchange took a personal turn hours later when Musk mocked Altman’s post views, noting that despite having 50 times more followers, he often received fewer views than Altman’s posts. “You got 3M views on your bullshit post, you liar, far more than I've received on many of mine,” Musk wrote. Altman responded with a demand for accountability: “Will you sign an affidavit that you have never directed changes to the X algorithm in a way that has hurt your competitors or helped your own companies?” he asked, adding he would apologize if the answer was yes. He later downplayed Musk’s performance, joking that his lower view counts were either a “skill issue” or due to bots. Musk quickly shot back, calling Altman a “scam” and accusing him of lying effortlessly, while resharing a user’s post criticizing Altman. The latest clash adds to a years-long rivalry that began in 2015 when Musk co-founded OpenAI as a nonprofit aimed at developing safe, accessible AI. He left the board in 2018, citing concerns over the company’s direction, especially after it transitioned to a for-profit structure and partnered with Microsoft. Since then, Musk has been a vocal critic, filing a lawsuit in February 2024 accusing OpenAI of abandoning its original mission. He dropped the suit in June but refiled it in August. On Monday, Altman appeared on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” to discuss the launch of GPT-5, downplaying Musk’s criticisms. “You know, I don't think about him that much,” he said—echoing a famous line from the TV show “Mad Men.” The comment seemed to underscore his apparent detachment, even as Musk continued to dominate the conversation. The feud remains a prominent feature in the high-stakes race for AI dominance, with both men leading major players in the field: Altman at OpenAI and Musk at xAI. The public exchanges highlight not just personal tensions but deeper ideological and strategic divides in the future of artificial intelligence.